Figure 2.
Origin and transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The virus is believed to be originated from bats and spread to humans through an intermediate host. Human-to-human transmission mainly occurred by respiratory aerosols generated when an infected person sneezes or speeches. Respiratory aerosols can travel to long distances, whereas respiratory droplets settle down on nearby surfaces and represent a possible risk of infection. Basic reproduction number (R0) of the virus is estimated as 3.6. The faecal-oral route of transmission was reported due to the ability of the virus to replicate in the gastrointestinal tract. Within hospital settings, nosocomial infection is also known to occur among healthcare practitioners and hospitalized patients.